Shadow Crossing
by Blurredpaw
Summary: Fifty years after the death of Firestar, ThunderClan is still alive. Two brothers, shrouded in mystery, have made their home near the border. Two apprentices start to dig up the history of a murder that changed their lives drastically.


_Shadows flitted across the ground, the _shadows of thin tree branches and night creatures that stalked the land in the glare of the full moon. Three cats trekked across the rugged ground, one dark blue with amber eyes, one pure white with green eyes, and the other light grey with dark stripes and yellow eyes. The first one stopped to sniff the air cautiously, moonlight gleaming off his dark pelt. "It is time," he whispered. "It is time for the stars to tell us what to do." He sat down, his amber eyes gazing unblinkingly at the sky.

"Illusion, sometimes you are too trusting," the white one mewed. He licked his paw and turned his gaze to the last cat, waiting for him to say something.

"Delusion, sometimes trust is needed," Illusion said calmly, his gaze not wavering from the night sky.

"I agree," the third cat mewed.

"Trust is rare these days, Crossbones," Delusion mewed, his green eyes burning into Crossbone's yellow ones. "We cannot trust everyone we meet. The stars have lied to us before."

"Quiet! They are speaking..." Illusion bowed his head and closed his eyes. Delusion and Crossbones did the same, breathing deeply. A white aura surrounded each of the three toms, getting bigger and brighter with each passing second. A faint humming sound filled the air, and it got louder and louder until the sounds of the forest had been drowned out by the sound of the three cats.

All at once, the buzzing stopped. The three cats opened their eyes in unison, the glow slowly fading away. Illusion's head snapped up, Delusion eyeing his brothers warily.

"It has happened," Illusion declared quietly. "The cat we are looking for has been born. One with a pelt that is black as night, and eyes that glitter. They have been born, far away from here."

"A she-cat or a tom?" Crossbones asked.

"A she-cat," Illusion answered. "The last of her kind. She is a fifth cat in the prophecy."

"Any siblings?"

"Just one-a tom. The prophecy states that for the prophecy to be complete, the least powerful sibling must die."

"Harsh," Crossbones mewed. Illusion gave him a brittle stare.

"We must honour our ancestor's wishes," he mewed stoically. "I do not care if they have lied to us before; we have to believe them now, at this crucial time." Illusion turned back to the sky, his amber eyes burning. "I trust you," he mewed quietly. Then he turned and said, "Come on. There is work to be done." He padded down a slope and was hidden from view."

Crossbones padded closer to his brother. "Since when do we work?" he mewed. Crossbones was the youngest brother, having been born a year after Illusion and Delusion, but he was by far the best hunter and fighter.

Delusion shook his head. "It's best not to anger Illusion," he mewed softly. "He has no idea of what power resides in him."

"Power?" Crossbones echoed. "I mean, we all have power, but this is the first time I've heard you refer to it like it's not unusual for us."

Delusion sighed. "It is best if you do not know-"

"Tell me!" Crossbones begged.

Delusion sighed. "Us three have powers-we are gifted with being able to hear the stars, hear our ancestor's words like they have come down to join us on the ground. But...Illusion has more."

"More?"

"More, but he does not realise it yet. I am not sure, but I am also gifted with being able to distort reality and sense supernatural powers, just like you are gifted with hunting and fighting skills beyond this world. But Illusion has many powers, powers that are waiting for a chance to break free. And I fear he may become too drunk on power if he ever realises his powers and uses them.

"What if he uses them for good?" Crossbones asked.

Delusion just looked at his younger brother sadly. "_None _of his special powers are good, brother." With that said, he padded away to join Illusion.

Crossbones frowned. "More powers? How can he be any more special than us?" he thought to himself. Suddenly, he realised that the forest was completely silent. "Illusion?" he mewed. "Delusion?" Silence. "Anybody?" _My brothers weren't that far away from me. They would have heard me. What has happened to them...?_

A voice from behind him made him spin around in fright. "I can't let you know," said the demonic voice. Crossbones shrieked in fear.

That was the last noise he ever made.


End file.
